1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to Fabry-Perot filter apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to Fabry-Perot filter apparatus with enhanced performance.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fabry-Perot filters are optical interference filters which may be employed to provide desirable optical properties within both optical sensing applications and optical emission applications. Particularly common applications of Fabry-Perot filters, but by no means exclusive applications of Fabry-Perot filters, are as optical components within optical spectrophotometric apparatus for analysis of samples of various compositions.
While Fabry-Perot filters are thus clearly desirable as optical components within optical apparatus employed within various applications, Fabry-Perot filters are nonetheless not entirely without problems.
In that regard, Fabry-Perot filters are often difficult to efficiently fabricate with enhanced optical discrimination properties.
It is thus desirable within the art of Fabry-Perot filter fabrication to provide Fabry-Perot filter apparatus which may be fabricated with enhanced performance, and in particular enhanced optical discrimination properties.
It is towards the foregoing object that the present invention is directed.
Various Fabry-Perot filter apparatus having desirable properties have been disclosed within the art of Fabry-Perot filter apparatus fabrication.
Included among the Fabry-Perot filter apparatus, but not limiting among the Fabry-Perot filter apparatus, are Fabry-Perot filter apparatus disclosed within: (1) Katagiri et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,859,060 (a Fabry-Perot filter apparatus with tunable interferometric properties, by fabricating the Fabry-Perot filter apparatus such that a separation distance of a pair of partially reflective layers within the Fabry-Perot filter apparatus may be varied); (2) Zochbauer, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,340 (a Fabry-Perot filter apparatus with enhanced optical properties by employing within the Fabry-Perot filter apparatus a pair of Fabry-Perot filters rather than a single Fabry-Perot filter); (3) Cole et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,550,373 (a Fabry-Perot filter apparatus with enhanced optical performance incident to being fabricated with a microlens layer in conjunction with a Fabry-Perot filter); and (4) Lehto et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,818,586 (an additional Fabry-Perot filter apparatus with tunable interferometric properties, by fabricating the Fabry-Perot filter apparatus such that a separation distance of a pair of partially reflective layers within the Fabry-Perot filter apparatus may be varied).
Similarly, although not specifically directed towards Fabry-Perot filter apparatus, Okamoto, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,094,272, discloses a distance tolerant color discriminating apparatus which provides for measurement of reflection or transmission of at least two colors of red, green and blue, with respect a sample whose color it is desired to discriminate.
The disclosures of each of the foregoing related art references is incorporated herein fully by reference.
Desirable in the art of Fabry-Perot filter apparatus fabrication are additional Fabry-Perot filter apparatus which may be fabricated with enhanced performance, and in particular enhanced optical discrimination properties.
It is towards the foregoing object that the present invention is directed.
A first object of the present invention is to provide a Fabry-Perot filter apparatus, a method for fabricating the Fabry-Perot filter apparatus and a method for operating the Fabry-Perot filter apparatus.
A second object of the present invention is to provide the Fabry-Perot filter apparatus, the method for fabricating the Fabry-Perot filter apparatus and the method for operating the Fabry-Perot filter apparatus in accord with the first object of the present invention, wherein the Fabry-Perot filter apparatus is fabricated with enhanced performance.
In accord with the objects of the present invention, there is provided by the present invention a Fabry-Perot filter apparatus, a method for fabricating the Fabry-Perot filter apparatus and a method for operating the Fabry-Perot filter apparatus.
In accord with the present invention, the Fabry-Perot filter apparatus comprises in a first instance a substrate having formed therein at least two optical transducer elements. The Fabry-Perot filter apparatus comprises in a second instance a Fabry-Perot filter assembled over the substrate and covering the at least two optical transducer elements, where the Fabry-Perot filter comprises a pair of partially reflective layers separated by a transparent material. Finally, the Fabry-Perot filter apparatus comprises in a third instance at least one color filter layer also assembled over the substrate and covering the at least two optical transducer elements, where the at least one color filter layer comprises at least two color filter elements of separate color, each registered with a separate optical transducer element within the at least two optical transducer elements.
The Fabry-Perot filter apparatus in accord with the present invention contemplates the method for fabricating the Fabry-Perot filter apparatus in accord with the present invention and the method for operating the Fabry-Perot filter apparatus in accord with the present invention.
The present invention provides a Fabry-Perot filter apparatus, a method for fabricating the Fabry-Perot filter apparatus and a method for operating the Fabry-Perot filter apparatus, wherein the Fabry-Perot filter apparatus is fabricated with enhanced performance, and in particular enhanced optical discrimination properties.
The present invention realizes the foregoing object by assembling over a substrate employed within the Fabry-Perot filter apparatus, and in conjunction with a Fabry-Perot filter also assembled over the substrate, at least one color filter layer which covers at least two optical transducer elements also formed within the substrate. Within the Fabry-Perot filter apparatus, the at least one color filter layer comprises at least two color filter elements of separate color, each registered with a separate optical transducer element within the at least two optical transducer elements. Within the Fabry-Perot filter apparatus of the present invention the presence of the color filter layer, in particular, provides for enhanced optical discrimination properties within the Fabry-Perot filter apparatus.